Lace attachment for knitting machines



huh/31, 1923. 1,463.7]19

E. o. NIEBEL LACE ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 16, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 31, 1923. 1,463.719

. E. O. NEBEL LACE ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 16, 1921 4 SheetsSheet 2 74 Y 72 i P 7 0 a P d" Q5 2 2'76 7 F P a F ii 4/ E I n \1 P /\g 42 July 31, 11923. 1,463.711-9 E. o. NEBEL LACE ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 16, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 25 F .6. 5 9 9 Z E E ii E A E fq 35 E 28 x i W fig 4 July 31, 1923. 1,463,719

E. o. NEBEL LACE ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Nov. 16, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Judy ll, 1923 1;?5 TED STATES PTENT FHE ERNST OSCAR NEBEL, 01F PHILADELIHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

LACE ATTACHMENT FOR KNITTING MACHINES.

Application filed November 16, 1921.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Lace Attachments for Knitting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide improvements in the lace forming attachments of full fashioned stocking knitting machines whereby the machine may be run at the normal rate of speed during the lace making operation, with a resultant saving of time and increased production.

A clear conception of the invention will be obtained from the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a front elevation of a portion of a full fashioned knitting machine illustrating'the essential features of my invention; 7

Fi 2, is a front elevation of a portion of the hitting machine illustrating the details of the lace forming mechanism;

Fig. 3, is an end elevation of the knitting machine;

Fig. 4, is a plan view of that portion of the knitting machine shown in Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5, is a more or less diagrammatic view illustrating the details of the pattern chain.

With reference to the drawings, 1 indicates the frame of a full fashioned stocking knitting machine, 2 the knitting head, and

3 the lace finger which carries needles 4, the

said finger being carried by a rod 5 mounted for reciprocation upon the oscillating frame 6. The rod 5 receives the forward movement of its reciprocation through the medium of a downwardly extending arm 7 of a slide 8 mounted in a guide 9 suitably secured to the said frame 1, said slide 8 being reciprocated in the guide 9 by means of a usher lever 10 pivotall mounted upon the rame 1, which in turn is actuated by a rod 11, whose upper end abuts the under side of said lever 10. and whose lower end is pivotally attached at 12 to a rock lever 12 intermediate its free end and the opposite end thereof which is pivotally mounted upon a fixed shaft 13, the said lever receiving an oscillatory motion through a cam 14 upon the cam shaft 15, which cam 14 engages a cam roller 16 u on the said lever 12.

The rearwar travel of the shaft- 5 is effected by means of a spring 17, one end of Serial No. 515,563.

which is attached in suitable manner to the relatively fixed shaft 18, while the other end is connected b means of a bracket 19 to the said rod 5. he rod 5 has in the end thereof a screw 5, the head of which abuts the said arm 7, said screw providing means for adjusting the rod 5 relative to the arm.

Pivotally mounted upon an eccentric shaft 20 carried in suitable bearings 21 upon the frame 1, are a series of selector arms 22, the forward ends of said'arms being supported by a corresponding series of coiled springs 23 which depend from an arm 74 upon an upright 7 5 upon the said frame 1. The ends of the said selector arms lie adjacent the inner end of the slide 8, and each of said arms has extending from the end thereof a set of selector fingers, 24, of differing lengths, the ends of these fingers being engaged by the said inner end of the slide 8,

the rearward motion of said slide being thereby limited according to the particular finger which it engages. At the same time, the arm'22,.through the rotation of the eccentric shaft 20, is given a substantially horizontal reciprocatory motion which is communicated to the needle finger 3' through the slide 8 and the shaft 5, in the manner previously described.

The position of the arm 22 and the particular" selective finger which is to be engaged by the slide 8 is determined by means of a pattern chain 25, having extending from the face thereof pattern members or buttons 26, which, when they lie in a vertical position at the lowest point of the chain, are adapted to engage the upper surface of the arm 22, thereby holding the arm against the tension of the spring 23in'a given position,

presenting one or other of the selector fingers to the end of the slide 8, according to the length of the pattern member which happens to lie in engagement with the said arm.

A pair of sprocket wheels 27 upon which the lower end of the pattern chain 25 rides, is mounted in the present instance upon an oscillatory bar 28, said bar being pivotally 'secured at one end to an upright 29 upon the frame 1, and having attached to its free end the upper extremity of a reach rod 30, which connects the said arm to a rock lever 31 pivotally mounted upon the fixed shaft 13 and having upon the free end thereof a cam roller 32 which lies in engagement with a cam 33 upon the said cam shaft 15. Through the cam 33, the bar 28 receives a vertical oscill'atory motion which carries the sprockets 27 and the chain 25 upwardly so that the pattern fingers 26 are elevated clear of the selector arm 22, thereby permitting the turning of the chain and the bringing of another pattern finger into position to engage the said arm 22 when the bar 28 is carried downwardly to the normal position. In order to permit the pattern pins 26 to be elevated clear of the arm 22, a stop 34 is provided which overlies the said selector arms 22 and limits their upward motion.

In order that the pattern chain may moye upwardly with the sprockets 27 and remain continuously in engagement therewith, the device illustrated in Fig. 5 is employed. The chain passes over the pulleys 35 and 36 and around the pulley 37, the pulleys 35 and 36 being suspended from a suitable bracket 38 upon the upright 29 and the ulley 37 being attached to the said Bracket through the medium of a coil spring 40 in the manner clearly illustrated. With this arran ement, the vertical motion of the sprocket 2 is equalized by the tension of the spring 40 and the chain is always retained taut. The rotary motion of the sprocket 27 by means of which the chain is actuated to bring the desired pattern fingers into engagement with the arm 22 is accomplished by means of a ratchet wheel 41 upon a shaft 42 which carries the sprockets 27, said ratchet wheel being engaged by a pawl 43 carried byra lever arm 44. one end of which is pivotally secured at 45 to the frame 1, said lever 44 being connected bv means of a reach rod 46 to a rock lever 47 mounted upon the fixed shaft 13, the forward end of which rock lever lies in engagement with a cam 48 upon the cam shaft 15. A "spring 49 secured to'the pawl 43 and to the arm, 44 exerts a force tending to retain the pawl against the face of the ratchet wheel 41.

The horizontal motion previously men tioned of the arm 22 may be in either direction, the direction of the motion of the said arms 22 depending upon the direction of rotation of the eccentric shaft 20. This shaft 20 receives its motion in one direction through a rocker arm 50 secured to one end thereof, said rocker arm having attached thereto a reach rod 51, the lower end of which is secured to a rock arm 52 mounted upon the fixed shaft 13 and carrying a cam roller 53 which lies in engagement with a cam 54 u on the cam shaft 15. tion of t e shaft 20 in the opposite direction is obtained by the following mechanism: Secured in the outermost of the selector arms 22 is a set screw 55, the bottom of said set screw being adapted to bear against one arm 56 of a lever 57 pivotally secured at 58 to the frame 1, the lower arm 56 of said lever extending downwardly and normally bearing against a pin 59 which The oscillaextends laterally from an arm 60 pivotally secured to a pin 61 at the forward end of a rock lever 61 mounted upon the fixed shaft 13, said rock lever 61. also havingga cam roller 62'secur'ed thereto which liesin engagement with a cam face 63 upon the cam I frame 1, while a spring 65 of lesser strength than spring 64 attached to the said arm 60 has the opposite end thereof secured to a fixed arm 66 and exerts a pressure opposite to the pressure of the s ring 64 whereby the said arm 60 is retaine in a position with the pin 59 hearing against the arm 56*.

Suitably positioned upon the rod 51 is an adjustable lug 67, under which the pin 59 under certain conditions is adapted to lie so that anyupward movement of the said arm 60 due to the action of the cam 63 may be transmitted through the said lug 67 to the rod 51, and so to the shaft 20. This shifting of the elements to cause the pin 59 to underlie the lug 67 is effected by means of one series of the pattern fingers 26, said fingers at the proper intervals being brought into position to engage the said outermost arm 22 which carries the said set screw 55, whereb the said arm is forced downwardly, causing the set screw to bear against the upper'surface of the arm 56, thereby causingthe arm 56 to be shifted so as to permit the arm to move under the action of the spring toward the rod 51, said rod at the moment being-elevated to permit the'pin 59 to pass underneath the lug 67.

Suitable means is provided for retracting the pawl 43 from engagement with the ratchet wheel 41 whereby further movement ofthe pattern chain is prevented, said retracting means consisting in the present instance of a link 68 attached to the said pawl and having a recess or notch 69 adapted to lie over and engage a pin 70 secured to the said frame 1, whereby the pawl is held away from the ratchet. Means is also provided for relieving the upward tension of the springs 23 upon the arms 22, the arm 74 being pivotally mounted to the upright 75 at 71, and being held in the normal elevated position in which the spring is caused to elevate the arms 22 by means of an adjustable detent 72, which latter when turned at an angle of 90 to the normal position permits the depression of the arm 74 and consequently of the selector arms 22.

The operation of the device will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In the present forms of lace-forming attachments of this type. it is the custom instead of elevating the pattern chain, to depress the selector arms 22 in order to permit the chain to be shifted to bring a new selector pin into pomovement of the arm 22, which must becomparatively great. llf it is attempted to speed up the machine, the inevitable result is a racking of the parts which causes unwarranted wear upon the various parts and an inevitable loosening thereof which eventually gives rise to various irregularities in the formation of the lace. By elevating the pattern chain in the manner herein described ll am able to make the necessary changes in the pattern pins and to return the various parts to their proper operating positions with much less motion and consequently in much faster time, so that it is possible to run the machine in any lace forming operation at the regular normal speed employed in knitting an ordinary stocking.

I claim:

1. In a knitting machine, the combination with a movable lace finger having needles adapted for cooperation with the knitting needles to form a lace design in the knitted fabric, means for reciprocating said finger toward and from the knitting needles, and mechanism for reciprocating said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles comprising an adjustable member havinga plurality of means individually operative in diflerent adjusted positions of the memoer for ositioning the said finger longitudinally of t e row of knitting needles, mechanism for reciprocating said member, and variable means adapted for reciprocation with respect to said member for determlnmg the adjusted position of the latter.

2. In a knitting machine, the combination with a movable lace finger having needles adapted for cooperation with the knitting needles to form a lace design in the knitted fabric, means for reciprocating said finger toward and from the knittin needles, and mechanism for reciprocating said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles comprising an adju stable member having a plurality of means individually operative in different adjusted positions of the member for positioning said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles, mechanism for reciprocating said member,'a pattern chain having elements adapted to engage and to determine the adjusted position of said member, mechanism for actuating the chain to advance said elements successively into member-engaging position, and means for shifting the chain to disengage said elements from said member during the elementaclvancing operations.

3. In a knitting machine, the combination adapted for cooperation with the knittin needles to form a lace designfin the knitte fabric, means for reciprocating said finger toward and from the knitting needles, and mechanism for reciprocating said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles comprising an adjustable member having a plurality of means individually operative in different adjusted positions of the member for positioning said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles, mechanism for reciprocating said member, a pattern chain having elements adapted to engage said member, means tending to retain the member in engagement with said elements, means limiting the movement of said member toward the chain, mechanism for actuating said chain to advance the said elements consecutively into position for engaging said member, and mechanism for shifting said chain to disengage said elements from the member during the element-advancing operations.

. l. In a knitting machine, the combination with a movable lace finger having needles adapted for cooperation with the knitting needles to form a lace design in the knitted fabric, means for reciprocating said finger toward and from the knitting needles, and

mechanism for reciprocating said finger longitudinally of a row of knitting needles comprising an adjustable member having a plurality of means individually operative in different adjusted positions of the member for positioning said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles, mechanism for reciprocating said member, a pattern chain having pattern elements adapted to engage said member, a sprocket for said chain, chain actuating mechanism whereby said elements are advanced consecutively into position to engage said member, a support for said sprocket, and mechanism for shifting said support to disengage the said elements from said member during actuation of the chain.

5. In a knitting machine, the combination with a movable lace finger having needles adapted for cooperation with the knitting needles to form a lace design in the, knitted fabric, means for reciprocating said finger toward and from the knitting needles, and mechanism for reciprocating said finger longitudinally of the row of knittin needles comprising an adjustable member aving a plurality of means individually operative in difi'erent adjusted positions of the member for positioning said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles, mechanism for reciprocating said member, a pattern chain, a sprocket for said chain, a movable support for said sprocket. pattern elements upon the chain adapted when the sprocket .is in the normal position to engage said member, means tending to'retain the member sprocket from the normal position and to thereby disengage the pattern elements from the selector member during actuation of the chain. I

'6. In a knitting machine, the combination with a movable lace finger having needles adapted for cooperation with the knitting needles to form a lace design in the knitted fabric, means for reciprocating the finger toward and from the knitting needles, and,

mechanism for reciprocating said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles comprising a plurality of adjustable mem-- bers having each a plurality of means individually operative in different adjusted positions of the members for positioning the said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles, mechanism for reciprocating said members, a pattern-chain having elements adapted to engage said members, mechanism for operating said chain to advance the elements consecutively into positions to engage said members, 'and'means for shifting the chain to disengage the said elements from the members during the element-advancing operations.

7. In a knitting machine, the combination with a movable lace finger having needles adapted for cooperation with the knitting needles to form alace design in the knitted fabric, means for reciprocating said finger toward and from the knitting needles, and mechanism for reciprocating said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles comprising an adjustable member having a plurality of means individually operative in different adjusted positions of the member for positioning said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles, mechanism for reciprocating said member, a pattern chain having pattern elements adapted to engage said member and to hold the latter in given positions, a spring tending to retain said member in engagement with the pattern elements, a stop limiting the movement of the member toward the chain, mechanism for actuating said chain to advance the elements successively into a position to engage said member, and means for shifting the chain to disengage the elements from said member during actuation of the chain.

8. In a knitting machine, the combination with a movable lace finger having needles adapted for cooperation with the knitting needles to form a lace design in the knitted fabric, means for reciprocating said finger toward and from the knitting needles, and mechanism for reciprocating said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles comprising an adjustable member having a plurality of means individually operative in difi'erent adjusted positions of the member for positioning said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles, mechanism for reciprocating said member, a pattern chain having pattern elements adapted to engage said member, mechanism for actuating the chain to bring said elements successively into position to engage the member, and mechanism for shifting said chain to disengage the elements from said member during actuation of the chain to bring an element into member-engaging position and for returning said chain to bring the said elements into engagement with the member after the said advancing operations. 7

9. In a knitting machine, the combination with a movable lace finger having needles adapted for cooperation with the knitting needles to form a lace design in the knitted fabric, means for reciprocating said finger toward and from the knitting needles, and mechanism for reciprocating said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles comprising an adjustable member having a plurality of means individually operative in different adjusted positions of the member for positioning said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles, mechanism for reciprocating said member, a pattern chain having pattern elev ments adapted to engage said member. a

sprocket for said chain, mechanism for actuating said chain to bring the elements successively into position to engage said member, mechanism for shifting the sprocket to disengage the pattern elements from said member during actuation of the chain, and means operatively associated with said chain for retaining the latter continuously in engagement with the sprocket.

10. In lace forming mechanism for knitting machines. the combination with a reciprocatory lace finger, of mechanism for actuating said finger comprising a movable selector element, a pattern chain having pattern members adapted to engage said ele ment, a sprocket for said chain, mechanism for actuating said chain to bring said members consecutively into position to engagesaid element. mechanism for shifting the sprocket to disengage the pattern members from said element during actuation of said chain, and means operatively associated with said chain and including a spring tending to exert a pull upon said chain in opposition to said sprocket for retaining said chain continuously in engagement with said sprocket.

11. In a knitting machine, the combination with a movable lace finger having needles adapted for cooperation with the knitmeagre ting needles to form a lace design in the knitted fabric, means for reciprocating said finger toward and from the knitting needles,

and mechanism for reciprocating said finsprocket and having pattern elements.

adapted to engage said member, said chain extending upwardly from the sprocket, resilient means operating on the chain to hold it tight on the sprocket, mechanism for rotating the sprocket to bring the said pattern elements successively into position to engage said member, and mechanism for reciprocating the sprocket to engage and disengage the pattern elements with and from said member during rotation of the sprocket.

12. lin a tting machine, the combination with a movable lace finger having needles adapted for cooperation with the knitting needles to form a lace design in the knitted fabric, means for reciprocating the finger toward and from said knitting needles. and mechanism for reciprocating said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles comprising a relatively fixed eccentric rock shaft, a member journaled on said shaft and having a plurality of means individually operative in different adjusted positions of the member around the shaft for positioning said finger longitudinally of the row of knitting needles, mechanism for rocking said eccentric shaft to reciprocate said member, a pattern chain having elements adapted to engage and to determine the adjusted position of said member, mechanism for actuating the chain to advance said elements successively into member-engaging position, and means for shifting the chain to disengage said elements from said member during the element-advancing operations.

ERNST USCAR NEBEL. 

